Cosmic girl talk
by dhalpin3
Summary: Takes place after Kitty goes cosmic but before Illyana brings the X-kids back to earth. Illyana and Kitty have some private girl talk. Fun little story. Added chap 4 (MAJOR Tear Jerker!)
1. Chapter 1

**Cosmic Girl Talk**

Author's note: Takes place after Kitty goes cosmic but before Illyana brings the X-kids back to earth. Illyana and Kitty have some private girl talk. Fun little story or so I think.

 **Part 1: Cheese burger in paradise**

Illyana and Kitty were sitting in an observation bubble on the starship. Nobody else was with them other than Lockheed who was snoozing in Kitty's lap.

 _"Mmmnph"_ Kitty mumbled around a mouthful of In-N-Out burger (Double double with raw onions). _"God I've missed a good burger. You'd think the rest of the universe would invent one but noooo. Just earth"._

 _"Mmmmph"_ was Illyana's eloquent reply as she also was chowing down upon a double double as well (with grilled onions).

 _"Damn, Illyana your powers have all kinds of perks. Did you actually teleport across the galaxy just for this or did you materialize it? Either way Mmmmmmm"._

Illyana gestured with a fry. _"You can probably do the same now. Just phase across space and time to the closest burger joint"._

 _"Don't know. Scared to find out. Seems so wrong to use such power for such a trivial thing"._

Illyana stayed silent while raising one eyebrow in a sarcastic question and eating the pointing fry.

 _"It's not wrong when you do it. People expect you to do such things if you're a sorceress. I've never been the uber powerful one. Hmm, any advice for the recently cosmically enhanced? I kind of noticed they you had no problems holding your own in our recent little escapade. You were a member of the Phoenix 5 and even before that ruled Limbo; not to mention that whole eating Limbo thingie you like to gloss over. I looked at you once with my new eyes and I saw so much that you choose to hide"._

Illyana looked at Kitty with a blank expression, one that morphed into something that was somewhat sad.

 _"Avoid being the genie. People hate that. They like to succeed or fail at their own issues; regardless of what they say. Do it for them and they just end up hating you. Always have the team succeed by the skin of their teeth if you end up having to help save the day. Then they don't hold it against you. Then you have a real chance at being a team member, a friend, a person; rather then being just the heavy or a force"._

Kitty contemplated the advice as she slurped the last of her Doctor Pepper. _"Hmm. Like how you always minimized your magic abilities around the New Mutants? Yea we noticed. Ororo, Logan, and the rest of the X-Men; but I don't think the New Mutants ever really did"._

 _"Yea, wanted to be normal, considered normal, treated normal; as much as possible for one such as I. Kind of hard to be considered one of the guys when you're a demon sorceress. Power is scary for those who don't have it; and in some ways... well you said you saw some of what I keep hidden so you have an inkling. Doug I suspect got wise to it in the end; before he was shot"._

 _"Some? Crap now you're scarring me again. Explains why you kept tolerating Rahne's endless crap I guess. Kind of a test I suppose"._

 _"If I had made her stop then nothing would have been resolved in anyway that I wanted. I wanted her to stop of her own resolve. That way I could have the illusion that I was better than I felt I was. That way I handled the problem as a person not as a force. Sometimes it's not getting things our own way. Having to deal with the unfairness of those around us that teaches us about ourselves. Power does no mean you get what you want. Sometimes just the reverse"._

Illyana continued. _"Let me know about any issues you might be having. They might not be as unique as you might think; part of Jean's problems, the original one, was likely not really having somebody to talk that really understands what it's like trying to be mortal when deep down you're really not"._

 _"That's why I'm leaving the X-Kidlets with you for now. I'm not really worried about the rest of them except for Jean. They'll do ok, but Jean needs help dealing with darkness issues and I think you'll be a good mentor. On a lighter side I think you should start seeing people"._

 _"I see quite clearly Pryde. Ohh look I see a person right now. She's in front of me and has ketchup all over her face"._

 _"Quiet you. You know what I mean. Seeing people. Dating. Oh God, I just realized that I sound exactly like my mother"._

Illyana had a smug expression on her face _. "It's your fate. All Jewish girls end up sounding like their mothers. Just like all Russian girls end up declaring that their mother was right about men. It's something we all powerful entities know"._

Kitty got a mischievous grin and threw a fry at Illyana which went right down Illyana's top. " _Ha, take that! Your one weakness reveled"._

Illyana squeaked out an uncharacteristic _"Eeek"_ as she franticly dug for the offending fried tater slice.

The two commenced giggling which woke up a now grumpy Lockheed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Cosmic Girl Talk**

Author's note: Surprised myself, ended up writing a second chapter.

 **Part 2: Space and time girly talk**

Lockheed was now a placated purring dragon, a good double scratching from the both of them had resolved the grumpiness. Illyana had then summoned desert. Two In-and-out shakes, strawberry for Illyana and vanilla for Kitty.

 _"Ok, watch the fix everything with a wave of my hand routine. Got it."_ Kitty stated as she sucked on her shake. _"What about space and time"?_

Illyana squinted and give Kitty a hard stare. _"Hmm I see you've already taken at least one journey. My advice is don't'. Little true good comes of it"._

 _'What?! This coming from the girl who traveled I don't' know how many timelines and dimensions setting up the elder god's fall while searching for information about her soul. What is this? Do as I say and not as I do"?_

Illyana took a leisurely sip of shake, ahh she loved strawberry. _"Yep and how often did you see me voluntarily doing it before I... died"._

Opps, Kitty felt a stab of shame and cursed herself (Dummy don't remind of her death). _"Umm, well now that I'm thinking about it, never"._

 _"Yep, knew even back then that timeline playing was dangerous"._

 _"So why did you do it after you returned if it was so dangerous"?_

Illyana sipped at her shake and took a long time before answering.

 _"Many reasons"._

 _"I was... well not very sane or rational at the time"._

 _"Two, I was obsessed with regaining what was lost, the me that was missing. Blind to anything else and any other possible solutions"._

 _"Three, the pain of what I was, of what I lost, made me willing to play with reality at any cost to achieve my ends"._

 _"Four, well... Everybody was dead. Killed by the elder gods by the time I learned what I needed, including you I might add. Only then did I traverse the timelines with my plan that I believed would result in not having everybody dead. The obliteration of the elder gods, and the return of my soul"._

 _"So it was worth it"_ Kitty stated while carefully looking at Illyana.

 _"Yes, and yet..."_ Illyana did not finish the sentence. _"Kitty do you want to live a happy life"?_

 _"Well yea"?_

 _"Do you want me to show you how to traverse timelines so you can pick your outcomes. Guarantee whatever it is that you desire happens exactly as you want"?_

 _"_ _ **NO!**_ _That would make it fake. There would be no choice, no alternatives except whatever my impulse was. That's not living, that's..."_

 _"Pretend"_ Illyana finished her statement and then slurped upon a now empty shake cup.

 _"Walking such paths makes it all become pretend Kitty. Yes I did it and I regained my soul but everybody else, everything else became ephemeral. I had become completely detached and it wasn't just from all the trauma. I actually can't tell you how many variations of my dead I looked over as I traveled the timelines. Don't like the outcome, go back in time and start over. Don't like how things work out, just jump timelines to one where it does. By the end no one was real to me anymore. That's why I stopped, well mostly stopped, after the elder gods were dead"._

 _"Took me a long time to recover from that, suspect I'm still recovering. I'm not saying that you won't tamper, we all do at one point or another if we have the power, it's just that most of us learn that living is not only not knowing the outcomes, but not controlling the outcomes. Kind of sucks if you ask me. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, certainly not on my best friend"._

Kitty looked upon Illyana with both understanding and her new eyes. " _I... see what you're trying to tell me. Good advice. Hope I take it"._

 _"Me too ex roomie, me to"._


	3. Chapter 3

**Cosmic Girl Talk**

Author's note: Surprised myself again. Came up with another topic of conversation.

 **Part 3: Burning down the house**

After finishing the shakes and having a girly intimate talk about Peter, Kitty's fiancé, that would have left Peter massively blushing; the ladies ended up having a game of Dragon ping pong.

Dragon ping-pong is where you play ping pong, but setup two little tables at either end of the mid point of the table so a small purple dragon can sit on the table of his choice and watch the ping pong balls. The intent is to swat the ball as close to Lockheed without him actually grabbing or biting the ball, or incarcerating it as well. A game Lockheed loved.

The Professor had always gotten rather annoyed at the cost of replacing the ping pong tables, scorch marks being the least of the damages. Which the girls felt to be nit picky considering that fact that the mansion was routinely trashed every ninety days either by a training accident or an actual attack.

The game went well, apart from Lockheed briefly choking on the one ball he actually ate before he ended up expelling it in a burst of flame. Oh, and the burning ping pong table which somehow always made the game more fun (yea now you can see why the Professor got upset).

Kitty asked Illyana another question after waving her paddle about to extinguish its flames (burning half melted ping pong ball was stuck to it).

 _"Always wondered, how was it like to be a Phoenix host"?_

Illyana replied after canceling the emergency fire extinguisher that had emerged from the ceiling in an attempt to extinguish the burning ping pong table.

 _"Odd. It had its moments. First time I was trusted since I returned from the dead as it were. Trusted by the other Phoenix sub entities that is, Scott, Emma, Peter, and Namor. No one really trusted us much"._

 _"The trust was... nice. The power was also... nice in some ways. Easy to understand now why so many Phoenix hosts go crazy and dark. The statement (My power is a song within me) does not do justice to the feelings you get"._

Kitty got ready to serve the next ping pong ball. She had flipped her paddle to the unburned side. She replied as she served (hoping to distract Illyana).

 _"What kind of feelings"?_

No luck on the distraction, Illyana returned the ping pong ball just past where Lockheed's jaws clamped shut as he missed the ball. A fast back and for volley commenced only to finally end when Lockheed got frustrated and fried the ball, and the net as well this time, with a burst of fire; which triggered the ceiling fire extinguisher to deploy again. Resulting in Lockheed springing into the air to avoid the wet spray that now doused the table.

 _"Lockheed"_ Kitty scolded, _"Not the net! Now we need to replace it"._

And apparently another table as well as the ping pong table collapsed into a soggy smoky mound (the legs gave way).

Kitty declared, with some giggles _"Ok, now I can see why the Professor hated this game"._

 _"Yea, rather destructive"_ replied Illyana with no perceivable issues with the damages, smoke, or destruction.

 _"But to answer your question. Using the Phoenix power can leave you feeling good. Really good"._

Kitty had a slightly puzzled expression on her face as she tossed her ping pong paddle onto the collapsed table.

 _"Good? As in you're happy good? Or in gee I'm drunk or stoned good, or do you mean... um that kind of good"?_

 _"Yea, that kind of good. The kind you described when Peter takes his..."._

 _"Ok, ok! I get it. That kind of good. Um... wow"._

 _"Yea, likely not good for most folks in the long run. Kind of explains Dark Phoenix in some ways though"._

 _"Rather surprised you're glad that the powers gone, if using left a Phoenix host feeling so... good"._

Illyana now tossed her paddle into the mess on the floor as well and teleported the burnt remains away.

 _"It's all about choices. Having the Phoenix power took away most of my choices. I became a tool for what the Phoenix wanted to do; not what I necessarily wanted. I want my choices. I fought hard to be able to have them. So, no. Don't miss it."._


	4. Chapter 4

**Cosmic Girl Talk**

Author's note: I've held off writing this story as I waited for Uncanny X-Men 600 and Extraordinary X-Men 1. Glad they that they reconciled Illyana and her brother, but quite disappointed that it only got five pages. Such a story deserved more, much more. Also I feel that why Illyana did what she did was vastly glossed over. Oh well, such is the comic publishing business.

I liked the new Extraordinary X-Men 1, we see a nicer more complete Illyana now. She appears to be able to interact with folks without everybody being terrified of her. Which is good, shows continued progress and character development on the path she started after Uncanny-X-Men 5-7 and her struggles with Dormammu. I suspect we have not seen the last of her nasty side as that is part and parcel of what she is and critical to story development.

I suppose this is the conclusion of the stories I've written about Illyana's traumas. The critical ones (for this story) being There are no snowflakes in hell, Naked and afraid, Mosh pit, and Black ice. Yea, many of my stories deal with Illyana's trauma because I believe for her to have acted the way she did in all the published comics there has to be much more to the story.

I'm not quite show how the story lines of X-Men 600, Uncanny-X-Men, and the Black Vortex exactly match up; but this is my take (not sure Marvel really does either).

In the end I think Illyana needed a good cry and there was nobody there for her.

 **Part 4: Confessions**

After having the cleaning bots deal with the residual mess from the burning ping pong table, and setting the air system to high air flow to deal with the smoke, the girls were now playing a lazy game of dragon bounce ball. The game is played by having two people in a room and you bounce a ball past a dragon to the other person. The dragon of course wants the ball (and the dragon is fast).

It was a lazy game in that it was not currently being conducted with high intensity, mostly just bounce the ball, talk, and rebuke Lockheed if he chewed up the ball too much. Plus, Illyana had retrieve some coffee mochas from the closest Starbucks (which was closer then you might think, turns out the Galaxy loves coffee) the girls were sipping their drinks as they played.

Yana was in a good mood. Happy. Content. She felt... felt good. Good in a way that she had not felt in like forever. Then Kitty ruined it.

Kitty had been closely watching Illyana with her new eyes. Being cosmically empowered appeared to come with all kinds of side affects, side affects that she knew she was going to have to tone down if she was going to try to remain human in behavior. But for now they provided lots of insight, especially insight into Illyana. Insight that troubled her at many levels.

Kitty asked a question as she lazily tossed a ball across the room to bounce off the wall to Illyana. Lockheed was lying on a floor and snorted his dismissal of the lame effort, so unworthy of any activity from him; a new born hatching could have gotten that throw. Then he froze at Kitty's question of Illyana.

 _"Illyana, why did you let it happen? Why did you let Peter take the power of the_ _Juggernaut"?_

Illyana froze and completely forgot to catch the ball while her left clenched crushing the paper to-go coffee cup.

 _"Why did you leave him with that curse for so long? I can see now that you could have lifted it at any time. Why did you do that to him? Why did you do that to me Yana"?_

Illyana turned to face Kitty, who was about thirty feet away. Illyana had an expression of shock and, to Kitty's surprise, a look of almost total terror. Illyana just stared at Kitty while the ball bounced and finished rolling about the room behind her. Kitty did not look outraged or angry, just so utterly sad that she had been betrayed so badly.

Illyana dropped the broken and dripping coffee cup. Lockheed's eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.

Illyana swallowed, tried to speak but found her mouth was too dry. She swallowed again before she spoke.

 _"I... I was not... well. I..."._ Illyana fell silent.

Kitty just stared at Illyana and waited.

Illyana turned her face aside, she could not face Kitty.She slowly spoke.

 _"Stephen said I should tell somebody, somebody close. That... knowing that what had been done to me did not justify my actions but did... provide insight into how I... viewed things at that time. Oh shards I so don't want to talk about this"._

Kitty carefully replied. _"I think we need to. I think you need to. I know I need you to"._

Illyana swallowed again. Decided. Then started to speak in an emotionless tone.

 _"I... had regained what remained of my/her soul. I was... as complete as I ever was going to be... or so I thought at that time. I was still such a broken thing. Barely able to feel. So filled with hate towards myself, for what I was, for what had been done to me, for what I'd done"._

Lockheed looked to Kitty and Kitty made a little shooing motion with her hand directing Lockheed to Illyana. Lockheed began to walk over to Illyana.

 _"Peter... He loved me. I see that so clearly now. I loved him back, but his love hurt so much. Snowflake. Always calling me Snowflake. He kept acting as if everything I'd done did not matter. Kept acting like everything that had happened to me had not happened; and... and... so much had happened. I... I was a bad thing. Not worthy of his love. Not her, I was so not her. Yet I oh so wished I was... could be. He wouldn't, couldn't see me for what I was. A defiled stained unworthy... thing"._

Lockheed reached Illyanas feet and sprung into the air to land on her shoulders. He wrapped his tail around her neck and began to purr.

 _"Scott wanted me to offer to take the power of the_ _Juggernaut. I knew that would not work. Hell lords don't give the power of their avatar to another hell lord. But... I knew he would likely try to take my place, take the power. Take the defilement. I needed him to see. See what I was. How I thought. See that I was not Snowflake, that... I could never be Snowflake. I had to save him from loving me. I had to show him why I was so unworthy of his love"._

A full body shiver.

 _"I... I did not know that the two of you had gotten back together. Something that was always one of her... my strongest wishes. Only later did I lean of this. Only later did I realize yet again I choose badly. Only later did I realize just how... much harm I did to you both. Just another reason to hate myself"._

Kitty spoke as she started walking towards Illyana. She noticed that Illyana was trembling.

 _"How did you get to such a place Illyana? What really happened to you"?_

Illyana gave snort of dismissal and a little shake of her head.

 _"You really don't want to know"._

Kitty finished walking up to Illyana. She stood about four feet away. She could feel terror radiating off of Illyana.

 _"No. I don't think I do. But I think you... need to share it"._

Illyana was silent for a while. Then she bowed her head and spoke softly, again with an emotionless tone.

 _"He brought me back. Belasco. I was confused. In pain. Embodied in the demonic form she was trapped in at the end of Inferno. She had had one dying wish. To see her brother once again and say goodbye. I thought I was being given that chance. I... was wrong. Belasco... was disgusted with me. I was not in the form he had wanted. He... He... He..."._

 _"He tortured me. For a long time. I... I could not see well. I thought it was Peter doing it for a while. That he could not see that it was really me. That it was me. I... After a long time Belasco made me realize just who was harming me, then... then he broke me in every possible way. Raped my mind and my body until there was nothing left of me. When he tired of the physical effort he... Oh God He... He created avatars of all the men in my life to continue the deeds. It... it... lasted a long time, until there was nothing left"._

 _"Nothing..."._

 _"In the end I was a broken mindless thing. He had me thrown from the castle walls and as I laid there, being eaten by scavengers, I tried to kill myself. I... failed. In the end I found a greater fear. That if I did die He... He would just bring me back to do_ _ **THAT**_ _again"_ A bit of hysteria in Illyana's voice _"again and again and again and..."._

She swallows and continued.

 _"I ended up somehow healing myself. But I was not her by that time. She was gone. I was just... just what was left over. Stephen and I don't think the healing spell worked right. My body was healed, although I was still trapped in a demonic form, but... my mind was... broken. Insane. I was... not there any more. I could no longer view things... correctly. And I was so scared... so scared... Scared of everything"._

Kitty was horrified. Her eyes allowed her to see so much. So much. Too much. She so did not want to see this.

 _"I... hid for a long time in a pocket of limbo where time ran faster. Much faster. I... Stephen and I don't really know how old I truly am. We... don't think I aged during that time. This residue of her that I am, well it... survived if you can call it that. She hadn't. I gradually remembered parts of who she had been, and what I was"._

 _"It wasn't any better after I first returned. I was in shock. Terror. I detested what I was. I was not coping well. I found that while I had hidden in Limbo, too scared to face you or Peter, that you had been trapped in that Brakeworld bullet. Your file said you had... that they believed you to be... dead. I had one of my panic attacks. I... freaked out. I... tried to go back in time to save you but it was... was forbidden. The universe said no as it were. Well, I didn't accept that. I created a time portal and put all that I could safely do into it. It still didn't work. Then..."._

Silence for a while.

 _"Stephen thinks I then tried to kill myself. I'm not sure, it's... blurry. I put, everything into it. All that I had. No reserves left. It still failed. The universe said no and meant it. But I was... fried. I was so damaged before, but after that I was worse. Much worse. I went off to pursue my soul, the obsession became all that was left of me. I..."._

 _"I... I don't want to talk about this any more Kitty. Please... Please just let me leave. I... I know I'm not her. I..."._

Kitty crossed the remaining distance and put her hands on Illyana's shoulders. Illyana gave a convulsive shudder at the touch and started quickly chanting a phrase over and over.

 _"please don't' hurt me, please don't hurt me, please don't hurt me, please don't... please please please please please..."_

Kitty then put her right hand under Illyana's chin to raise her head and force Illyana to look Kitty in the eye again. Illyana looked totally panicked and lost in terror. Like Kitty somehow welded a power that could utterly destroy her.

Kitty spoke.

 _"I can't forgive you for what you've done to others. I can't forgive you for what you did to Peter as that is not mine to forgive"._

Illyana fell silent and her expression morphed to one of total despair.

 _"I look at you and see... I see all that happened. But know this one thing"._

Kitty then tightly hugged Illyana. Illyana's arms lay slack at her side.

 _"I look at you with my new eyes and all I see is Yana. The harm you've done me. That is mine to forgive"._

 _"I forgive you Yana"._

Illyana compulsively hugged Kitty as Lockheed entwined himself abound both of their necks and purred.

It began softly at first. Illyana began to cry. Then it grew in intensity. A huge screaming crying wail of despair and grief. All the while Kitty rocked her and whispered " _It's going to be all right. I'm so sorry for you. It's going to be ok..."_

Cried at what had been done to her.

Cried about what she had lost.

Cried about all that she had done.

Cried long and hard.

Cried that she could be forgiven.


	5. Chapter 5

**Cosmic Girl Talk**

Author's note: Came up with another chapter. I suppose it could be standalone, but people appear to rather like this story so I decided I'd add it here.

 **Part 5: X Fashion**

Months later…

" _Black"._ That was Illyana's recommendation.

Kitty sighed in annoyance. _"Of course you'd say black, everything you wear in the field is black. Last time I checked only a few people dress in black and their mostly villains. Heck, I don't think I know anybody who is currently wearing black"._

Illyana pointed out that _"Emma wears black now"._

Kitty dismissed the observation. _"So not making your case, so does Lady Mastermind to make my case even stronger"._

" _Black Widow"?_

" _Please… that scank"?_

Illyana rebutted with a stronger argument. _"Ororo did for a long time"._

" _Ok, good point but… She doesn't any more"._

Illyana sensed an opening and described Ororo's original costume. _"Black stylish boots that were thigh high. Black two piece top and bottom that didn't leave much to the imagination, she had to shave you know. Total bare armpits and arms, black head ornament which I totally stole the look by the way, and a black cloak"._

Kitty attempted to mount a defense. _"She had gold trim on it a bunch of times and I'd point out no boob window like you have"._

Illyana pressed her advantage. _"Black. And tight. Tight is good too"._

" _She changed"._

" _Yea, went from black formal to… black punk. Let's see. Black gloves, black leather pants, black top that hid the belly but now showed cleavage gap. Also sometimes just that black spandex tube top that did show cleavage gap and belly and heck outlined everything. Black leather vest, black boots, black belts, and we both know the color of her panties back then"._

Kitty tried to change the subject. _"Why don't you have a cloak"?_

Illyana wave her left hand in dismissal. _"I've seen the film and I agree. No Cloaks! Those things can get you killed. Plus Dr. Strange already had that look"._

Kitty continued with the new topic. _"And why do you wear rugged boots"?_

" _Practical. I can't believe the women who actually have high heels in their costumes. I mean, apart from the Scarlet Witch, how the hell can you run in those things? Yea us magic types can make sure that their effective to run in but so impractical… You don't see any of the guys in such getups"._

Kitty pounced as it were. _"Then explain Namor"._

Illyana now had to beat a verbal retreat. _"Ok, I'll give you that. But you have to admit the view is very nice"._

" _Illyana"!_

" _Don't give me that. I saw you looking when his back was turned. You were totally checking him out"._

Now it was Kitty's turn to retreat. _"Ok, kind of… hard not to notice"._

" _Yea, and was that an improper emphases on the word hard"?_

" _Illyana"!_

" _I'll take that as a yes"._

Kitty got back to the original topic as the current topic was veering into very naughty territory. _"But this doesn't help me in any way with coming up with a new look"._

Illyana crossed her arms and replied. _"Black"._

" _Ahhhhh"!_

" _You like the look for panties and bras, so what's the big deal"?_

" _Ahhhhhhhhh"!_

" _Pryde, there is just no helping you"._


	6. Chapter 6

**Cosmic Girl Talk**

Author's note: This is a bit of a humor chapter. I was going to put this in the ongoing story, What to do about Magik, but it is a Kitty story so I stuck it here.

So… just how did the mutant school get to central park? And just why the heck is Illyana not present on Team Gold? And why is she not doing much in the whole Hydra story plotline? Her brother and Kitty are trapped in the dark dimension dome over New York and Illyana doesn't pull Capp's lungs out through his nose? I mean… like some planet covering shield can prevent a hell lord from accessing their dimension?

Right…

Well… I figure that Illyana is on hold for the moment as Marvel determines what to do with the upcoming New Mutant's film and likely a relaunch of the New Mutants comic book. But… as always I like plots to actually work and at least make a kind of sense.

This takes place right after Illyana and Kitty talk in limbo from X-Men Prime issue 1 (sets the stage for the relaunched X-Men I suppose) and before the now renamed Xavier Institute of Mutant Education and Outreached was located in Central Park by Illyana at the request of Kitty.

 **Part 6a: Girl Talk…**

After some discussions in Limbo, Kitty and Illyana continued the discussion as to what Kitty wanted done after porting to Alice's Tea Cup (a very fine tea and nibbles establishment by Central Park that is very Alice in Wonderland themed, Kitty's treat). As always with Illyana, a table was ready just as they arrived.

Kitty decided to have Alice's curious French Toast (Bites of brioche infused with apricot brandy tea and baked bread-pudding style, served with raspberry couli, vanilla crème anglaise, maple syrup, and fresh berries). Illyana went for Scones benedict (Poached eggs over a savory scone, topped with rosemary hollandaise sauce and served with a side of potato-chicken hash), but kept stealing from bits from Kitty's plate. Illyana had a three cup pot of black Nilgiri loose leaf tea with a touch of cream, Kitty went for coffee.

Much noshing commenced. Although Kitty did complain that…

" _Why do you keep stealing from my plate? If you wanted the French Toast you should have ordered it."_

Illyana replied while swiping another bite _. "I was going to but you ordered first. You always only eat half of it so I went for the eggs."_ And yes, the two of them had eaten here before.

Illyana returned to a more serious topic. _"So… you want me to move the school from Limbo to Central Park. You do know that will create at least ten kinds of chaos and trouble?"_

Kitty took another spoonful of French Toast and sighed in delight. _"Mmmm, so missed this, yet another thing that Earth does better then the rest of the galaxy. Man, you should have seen the sleazy dive bars Peter Quin and I hung out at… The Guardians are way too party happy if you ask me. And yea, this will stir things up, that's the plan. X-Men need to be in the public eye and be seen as heroes."_

" _Too many libations?"_ Inquired Illyana about the Guardians.

" _God, Drax is always yelling that."_

" _Does he ever not yell?"_

" _Sometimes, but that's only because I think he forgets that yelling is his thing."_

Illyana agreed. _"Ok, New York Central Park it is."_

" _Will you need help, I heard that you needed Dr. Strange and some others to relocated the school to Limbo."_

" _Na… it's in my realm now so I can relocate it back to earth without anybody's assistance. I take it you saw Peter?"_

" _Your brother? Yea… please tell me you tried to talk him out of taking my room."_

" _I did mention that I though it was a bad idea but… men."_

Kitty agreed. _"Men…"_

They shared a chuckle together. Then Kitty continued.

" _Which brings us to the new team of X-Men I'm forming. If you don't mind I like…"_

" _No"._ Was Illyana's presumptive answer.

" _Um… no what?"_

" _I don't want to be on an X-Man team for a while."_

Which was a good answer as Kitty was not actually going to ask that. She mentally breathed a small sigh of relief, having Illyana and Rachel on the same team was just asking for endless grief from Rachel.

" _Ok… Instructor? Security?"_

" _Drop in. I've… got some things to take care of. Won't be around very much for a while. Need to clean up Limbo for one."_

Kitty hazarded a guess at what one of the other things might be. _"How's Emma?"_

Illyana just looked her natural self. _"How would I know?"_

" _Because you are you…"_

" _Promise not to tell if I do somehow know and spill the beans for you?"_

" _Spill the beans?"_

" _Or whatever they say when a person cracks under harsh interrogation. Who knew you could be so cruel."_

" _Crack? Like in wise cracks? Talk or no more French Toast for you! I'll keep quiet, but only if that means she isn't out to attack the X-Men."_

" _She isn't. She's… a bit of a wreck. Getting better but… still very very upset about Scott."_

" _Yea… actually don't… really blame her… and don't ever quote me on that!"_

" _Perish the thought."_ Replied Illyana. " _The Emma/Kitty hate fest is alive and well. So… who else are you planning on having on the team?"_

" _Kurt, your brother, Storm, Logan, and Rachel._ _"_

The mention Rachel earned Kitty a slightly exasperated look from Illyana. _"_ _Well_ _…_ _with you being in charge should make her tone down on the complaining, and the drama I hope. Geeze, girl needs to get laid or something_ _…"_

" _Yea_ _…_ _I know, but she needs to get back into the fold and the team can_ _always_ _use a telepath and a TK specialist_ _._ _And I think being on a mixed gender team will help, she so gets her bitch on when it_ _'_ _s just all girls. And I even have a new code name for her and a new costume!_ _"_

" _Yea_ _…_ _kind of noticed that bitch thing. Um_ _…_ _would the new costume by chance have a cape?_ _"_

Kitty fidgeted. _"_ _Yes_ _…_ _and it_ _'_ _s red._ _"_

Illyana just sipped some tea and was silent, which caused Kitty to squirm. _"_ _It_ _'_ _s a good look._ _"_

" _C_ _oming_ _from you that actually makes me afraid. I recommend black_ _the_ _last time you asked for my input._ _"_

Kitty so did not want to have a fashion conversation. _"_ _So, did you really present Rachel with a jar for her pee?_ _"_

And the conversation turn worked. Illyana actually blushed a bit. _"_ _Um_ _…_ _yea. She just wouldn't shut up and kept going on about how_ _I'_ _d stolen you away. Plus I kept getting the vib from her that_ _I'_ _d totaled the Phoenix, like it was her daddy_ _'_ _s car or something. So not my fault I ended up a Phoenix._ _"_

Now it was Illyana's turn to try to steer the conversation. " _So_ _…_ _how was jaunting about the galaxy?_ _"_

" _Vomit_ _."_ Was Kitty's short answer. Which earned her a very puzzled look from Illyana. Kitty provided more detail after drinking some coffee.

" _That whole divvy space bar thing. I swear that I_ _'_ _ve been in more gross bars with the Guardians then I ever was in the entirety of_ _my_ _life. And it doesn't really matter the alien, vomit is vomit. So just_ _…_ _Yuck. Frankly that was one of the many growing turn offs with Peter Quin, yea he_ _'_ _s good in bed but_ _…_ _we just like doing different things. Fighting I can handle, anarchy I can handle, folks waning me dead I can handle, space I can tolerate, endless rounds of drinking and the resulting vomit from I don_ _'_ _t know how many aliens I can_ _'_ _t handle._ _"_

Illyana clutched her belly in laughter. _"_ _Kitty Pryde, Sanitary Star Lord. Wielding the power of Purell to vanquish evil!_ _"_

" _Hey, it was really gross and it got old really quick. Plus do you know how crude Rocket is? That gets old as well._ _"_

Illyana pointed her fork at Kitty. _"_ _Bet your gunna miss game nights_ _."_

Kitty did concede that point. _"_ _Yea, those were fun. So_ _…_ _ixney on my love life for the moment, how_ _'_ _s Dani?_ _"_

" _She_ _'_ _s_ _…_ _okay_ _."_

" _Okay as she_ _'_ _s alright or okay as she_ _'_ _s_ _…_ _okay_ _."_

Illyana looked flummoxed, which is rather odd for a person who has literally stared down hell lords, Kitty was one of the few people that could do that to Illyana.

" _She_ _'_ _s_ _…_ _I_ _'_ _m_ _…_ _not sure. W_ _e'_ _re_ _…_ _okay. Keeping it casual. Stop giggling Pryde!_ _"_

Which only made Kitty giggle harder. After a few more chuckles Kitty returned to the topic of Illyana's plans. " _So_ _…_ _what plans if I may ask?_ _"_

Illyana gave Kitty the once over. _"_ _How_ _…_ _connected to reality are you?_ _"_

A question that left Kitty briefly confused. _"_ _Just fine, not crazy if that_ _'_ _s what you're asking_ _…_ _oh_ _…_ _you mean that whole comic thingy._ _"_

" _Yea_ _…_ _you said it faded away_ _…_ _still gone?_ _"_

" _Yea, I can phase more then I used to but_ _…_ _yea, just mortal now._ _"_

" _Then you wouldn't understand my answer, and would just forget_ _it anyway_ _._ _"_

" _I so would not!_ _"_

Illyana give it a try, she explained that cosmic forces were in flux due to comic cube emanations. And that she, Illyana that is, simply had to gone along for the ride because hell lords are not allowed to adjust such cosmic events. That she was going to have to pretend to be reduced in power and supposedly be unable to teleport because Hydra was going to have this super earth enveloping shield that would cut her off from Limbo (like… yea right).

Kitty just looked puzzled, then… forget her question and what Illyana had just said.

" _So_ _…_ _just where is Emma hanging out?_ _"_

Illyana gave an internal sigh. _"_ _Oregon, and she hates the rain, and the lack of quality spas and good shopping. Hates, and I do mean hates, the grunge look. On the plus side she_ _'_ _s gone back to wearing white and her prior getup._ _"_

" _Hopefully not as a plus size_ _."_ Giggled Kitty which caused Illyana to also giggle.

" _I did have to remove all the chocolate_ _…"_ Illyana confessed. _"_ _And the wine; until she finally pulled herself out of her funk._ _"_

Illyana had shared, with Emma, the rather nasty joke she'd pulled on Medusa and Black Bolt (as told in chapter 20 in What to do about Magik). But that was not for anybody else's ears. That… had perked Emma up (especially the part about Medusa getting herpes from Johnny).

Kitty was still smarting over Illyana's comments about her new look for Rachel. _"_ _Is Emma wearing a cloak?_ _"_

Illyana paused as she took a sip of tea. _"_ _Um_ _…_ _yea. Long white cloak. Has some kind of fur on the top by her shoulders, white sable or fox I think._ _"_

" _Bet it_ _'_ _s mink._ _"_ Replied Kitty. _"_ _Still showing the cleavage?_ _"_

" _Yea_ _…_ _huge tracks of land. But in her defense most female super powered folks do._ _"_

" _I still think she started the trend._ _"_ Kitty replied. _"_ _So_ _…_ _a cloak. Proof that not all of my fashion decisions are wrong._ _"_

" _Kitty, you do realize that you just stated_ _that_ _you and Emma think alike._ _"_

Kitty recoiled in mock horror. _"_ _Oh! No! What ever shall I do?_ _"_

" _Order a cinnamon roll and I_ _'_ _ll forget everything._ _"_

" _Bribery?_ _"_

" _Works every time._ _"_

 **Part 6b: Some Hydra moments…**

…

…

" _Gods I hate the Inhumans…"_ Grumbled Illyana to herself. _"_ _Bastards almost wipe out all of mutant kind with the stupid cloud of theirs, that they prevent anybody from doing anything about. And then they the balls to shoot down the X-Jet with me_ _in it_ _when we politely tell them to leave_ _!_ _Grrrr!_ _"_

…

…

Illyana grumbled yet again to herself. _"_ _Really need to enchant the Scarlet Witch_ _'_ _s headpiece to prevent her from being possessed anymore by Chthon. I mean_ _…_ _come on. Just how many more times does this have to happen? I_ _t'_ _s like the bitch has a demonic for rent sign or is a demon Airbnb. Stay three times and your forth stay is free? It_ _'_ _s like Chthon has frequent possessor miles on her. But if I modify that enchantment on her headpiece that will likely break the enchantment that always keeps it from falling off_ _…"_


End file.
